John P. Raleigh

“Even though you have mountains to climb, always stay humble and kind.”

John Patrick Raleigh passed on 11/22/2017 to reunite with his brother, Brian Emmett Raleigh, in Heaven. He was 27 years old. John was painfully blessed a wise soul and a deeply tender heart. You could see in his eyes that he understood things about life that seemed to escape most people. He was quiet and unassuming….humble and kind. He was a man of few words and had a smile that would light up a room.

There was another side to John, too – a side that always caught you off guard because it was often so unexpected. It was his profound wit. He once pondered, “I wonder how much time people save by typing the letter ‘u’ instead of spelling out the word. What do they do with all that extra time?” That was typical of John’s funny and insightful take on things most people didn’t think twice about.

John was also a deep thinker with a beautiful soul. For example, the reason he had the words “cellar door” tattooed behind his left ear was because, as he said, it was a combination of words that were considered beautiful purely in terms of their sound without regard for their meaning…..an example of euphony that he innately understood.

There were many layers to John. Mostly, though, he was kind-hearted, and it was the depth of his heart that defined him as a human being. He believed that kindness should be a way of life, and he lived that belief. He once quoted lyrics to a Tim McGraw song that spoke what he felt: “Even though you have mountains to climb, always stay humble and kind.” John could be no other way.

When John loved, his love knew no bounds. This was especially true when it came to his family. His devoted Mom and Dad (Tracy and Paul), beloved brother (Mike) and sisters (Jess and Cat) and adoring Gram will forever miss his quiet presence, his amazing sense of humor, his brilliant smile, his gentle soul.

Life will not be the same without you in it, John. You will be missed and cherished by your entire family and by all of who had the honor of truly knowing and loving you. May your soul rest in the peace of God’s Grace…..until we meet again.

John’s family has opted for private services. They ask only that you make it a point to perform an act of kindness every day in honor of him. God Bless.